Snohomish Scrap Metal Team

On a recent sunny March afternoon (yes, March!), we took several pictures of our Snohomish scrap metal team working, with the intention of educating the public on what happens to the scrap metal after we buy it at our facility. Depending on what types and sizes of scrap metal loads we’ve accepted recently, determines the type of work our staff is focused on each day.

United Metals in Snohomish has a large asphalt area just outside the office where mixed loads of metal are dumped, so it is always a priority to sort that area first to ensure it is clean for future customers to unload their materials. It is also our “first line” of processing. On the left, there is a photo of two team members doing just that — the initial sort. On this particular day, the team was sorting a load of metal that mainly consisted household items. For example there were lamps, strollers, bikes, baseball bats, shelving/racks, toys, wheelchairs, furniture, kitchen items, ironing boards, wagons, golf clubs, satellite dishes, brass decorations …. and much more! Our team members are trained in identifying the various types of metal, and therefore able to quickly sort through the pile of mixed metal. And on a sunny day like this, they are even more efficient at sorting!

As a follow-up task to the initial sorting, there is often processing of metals that requires our staff to disassemble items to isolate the various metal types/grades (and in some cases remove other materials like plastic or rubber). The “cleaning up” of the materials, so to speak, helps us to prepare the materials and find end markets for the various types of metals, ultimately completing the recycling loop.

However, not every load of metal we buy is mixed. Some loads contain only one type of metal (for example an entire truck load of old rusty fencing), which requires less sorting/processing labor, so we are typically able to pay a slightly higher price to the customer for these types of loads. There are many variables (quantity, type/grade of metal, available equipment to transport the materials, your time and knowledge of metals, etc.) to take into account, about whether or not it is worth the effort to presort the scrap metal.

If you are wondering what is best in your situation, we encourage you to call and talk to one of our scrap metal specialists – we will talk it through with you and advise you on the most efficient (in terms of time and money) scrap metal plan. Seldom are two situations the same – please call us at 360-668-7355 (SELL) – our Snohomish scrap metal team looks forward to hearing from you!